Questions about Revisit and Etiquette to Decline Offers

[GravityDefier]

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Hi,

I have several questions regarding to post-acceptance etiquette and revisit, so I figure I should compile them all in one thread:

1. Recently, I have been accepted into my top-choice MSTP. In the future, if another program offers me an acceptance, should I just decline their offer right away, or should I just accept the offer, wait for a month or so and then decline ? It may be just me but I have a feeling that if I decline their offer right away, it is like splashing water into their face. It seems rude. Hence I was thinking if I should nicely accept the offer and wait for a while before declining them.

2. How should I decline the offer ? I figure that since the MD/PhD interviewee pool is small, the director must have paid close attention to each candidate and hence he/she deserves a nice and courteous declining email. Does it need to be well elaborated with reasons ? I will appreciate very much if someone can provide me a sample.

3. Programs requested me to send them a list of faculty to meet with during revisits. Is it safe to pick those faculty who has interviewed me ? Is it wiser to request those that I did not meet with during the interview ? Many of my interviewers were people who are doing research that I am highly interested in. These are not the sale-pitch type of interviewer but the ones who grilled me on my research who are probably sitting on admissions committee. I feel kinda intimidated to request to meet them again to discuss potential opportunities for rotations, but on the other hand I am still very interested in their research. Please let me know your opinions.

4. Do you have any tips regarding re-visits, especially for the top-choice program that I plan to attend ? I plan to rent a car and drive around the city to thoroughly check out all the corners. Any other tips would be highly appreciated.

Sorry for the long thread, but I will appreciate very much for your opinions. Thanks !

 

[K31]

Take pity on those applicants on the waitlist--decline the offer immediately. In fact, if you are certain you will matriculate at the school where you have been accepted, go ahead and ask to be removed from consideration at all the other schools you are waiting to hear from. The programs won't take it personally at all--this is how the process works.

 

[debateg]

1. If that program is your top choice and you do not anticipate anything change your mind, withdraw your application from all other programs (even those you haven't heard from). It's the right thing to do to other applicants. You're doing the program a favor as well as they will have more time to recruit another applicant. However, if you think a revisit may change your opinion, only withdraw from the programs that you are not seriously considering.

2. I usually write to the program administrator (e.g. the person who coordinates the interview, not the director) something very brief.

Dear University of StudentDoctor MSTP:

Thank you for the opportunity to interview with your program. After much thought, I would like to withdraw my application from your program. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely, me.

I wouldn't elaborate on reasons. Over the next several years, you will get told that you are awesome and the future of science. In reality, you're not viewed as anything particularly special by anyone but your mother. Most programs are far less invested in you as a particular applicant as you think.

3. Pick the faculty you would want to work with. If they interviewed you, then that's a good fit. It will be a lot more sales pitch during that meeting. The point of the revisit is to start the process of finding a thesis lab.

4. Spend as much time with the current students as possible both at the school and outside if possible.

Good luck.

 

[Maebea]

Sorry for being late to this party. Please do decline offers or withdraw from programs that have not made a decision as soon as you know you will not be enrolling at those schools. This will be appreciated by the programs and by individuals sitting on the wait list. Do not worry about hurting a program director's feelings. With few exceptions, programs directors receive many more rejections than acceptances, and we are used to it. While we would prefer to get an acceptance, the main thing is that you have given us a decision and we can move to the next person on the list.